Stream based framework for associating logistics documents using correlation features

Abstract

A method includes determining a correlation feature shared among at least a portion of a plurality of tracking documents including a first tracking document and a second tracking document. The method includes receiving a first batch of tracking documents associated with a logistics process. The tracking documents includes the correlation feature and logistics information associated with the logistics process. The method includes generating a first correlation between the first tracking document and the second tracking document. The method includes receiving a second batch of tracking documents. The second batch includes a third tracking document including a change in the logistics information indicated by the first tracking document. The method includes generating a second correlation between the third tracking document and the second tracking document. The method includes sending a status of the logistics process. Related systems and computer program products are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including program code which when executed by the at least one processor provides operations comprising:
 determining a correlation feature shared among at least a portion of a plurality of tracking documents comprising a first tracking document and a second tracking document; 
 receiving a first batch of tracking documents associated with a logistics process, wherein the tracking documents comprise the correlation feature and logistics information associated with the logistics process, wherein the first batch of tracking documents comprises the first tracking document and the second tracking document; 
 generating, based at least on the correlation feature, a first correlation between the first tracking document and the second tracking document; 
 receiving, after beginning generation of the first correlation, a second batch of tracking documents associated with the logistics process, wherein the second batch of tracking documents comprises a third tracking document comprising a change in the logistics information indicated by the first tracking document of the first batch; 
 generating, based at least on the correlation feature and the change, a second correlation between the third tracking document of the second batch and the second tracking document of the first batch; and 
 sending, based at least on the second correlation, a status of the logistics process, the status indicating at least the change. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the logistics process is tracked by the plurality of tracking documents, and wherein the logistics process comprises one or more events associated with placing an order, shipping the order, and/or receiving the order. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the logistics information comprises a value indicative of a quantity of an item included in the order, a type of the item included in the order, a buyer of the item, a shipper of the item, a date of the order, a delivery date of the order, and/or a price of the order. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first tracking document comprises the order, an order item included in the order, an inbound delivery item for the order item, and/or shipment of the order including the inbound delivery item. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the correlation feature comprises an identifier shared among at least the portion of the tracking documents to enable the first correlation and the second correlation. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of the correlation feature further comprises determining the correlation feature based on content derived from the plurality of tracking documents and/or based on an indication received via a user interface, wherein the received indication is used as the correlation feature. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the correlation feature comprises a value indicative of an order, an order item included in the order, an inbound delivery item included in the order, and/or a shipment of the order. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein generating the first correlation comprises:
 determining each of the first tracking document and the second tracking document contains the value or references another tracking document of the first batch of tracking documents that includes the value; and   storing the first correlation between the first tracking document and the second tracking document to enable tracking of the logistics process.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a subset of the tracking documents forms a hierarchical structure including a plurality of nodes corresponding to the subset of the tracking documents, and wherein the subset of the tracking documents comprises the first tracking document. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the second tracking document is not included in the subset,
 wherein the second tracking document comprises a second reference to the first tracking document of the subset, and   wherein generating the first correlation comprises locating root nodes associated with at least one node corresponding to the first tracking document and leaf nodes associated with the at least one node by at least recursively searching the hierarchical structure to determine whether another tracking document is correlated with the first tracking document.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first correlation is assigned a source time indicating when the first tracking document is received, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining whether the source time matches a creation time indicating when the third tracking document was received;   updating, based on a determination that the source time does not match the creation time, the first correlation to generate the second correlation; and   storing the second correlation.   
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 determining a correlation feature shared among at least a portion of a plurality of tracking documents comprising a first tracking document and a second tracking document;   receiving a first batch of tracking documents associated with a logistics process, wherein the tracking documents comprise the correlation feature and logistics information associated with the logistics process, and wherein the first batch of tracking documents comprises the first tracking document and the second tracking document;   generating, based at least on the correlation feature, a first correlation between the first tracking document and the second tracking document;   receiving, after beginning generation of the first correlation, a second batch of tracking documents associated with the logistics process, wherein the second batch of tracking documents comprises a third tracking document comprising a change in the logistics information indicated by the first tracking document of the first batch;   generating, based at least on the correlation feature and the change, a second correlation between the third tracking document of the second batch and the second tracking document of the first batch; and   sending, based at least on the second correlation, a status of the logistics process, the status indicating at least the change.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the logistics process is tracked by the plurality of tracking documents, and wherein the logistics process comprises one or more events associated with placing an order, shipping the order, and/or receiving the order. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the logistics information comprises a value indicative of a quantity of an order item included in the order, a type of the order item included in the order, a buyer of the order item, a shipper of the order item, a date of the order, a delivery date of the order, and/or a price of the order, and
 wherein the first tracking document comprises the order, the order item included in the order, an inbound delivery item corresponding to the order item, and/or shipment of the order including the inbound delivery item.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the correlation feature comprises an identifier shared among at least the portion of the tracking documents to enable the first correlation and the second correlation, wherein the determining of the correlation feature further comprises determining the correlation feature based on content derived from the plurality of tracking documents and/or based on an indication received via a user interface, wherein the received indication is used as the correlation feature, and wherein the correlation feature comprises a value indicative of an order, an order item included in the order, an inbound delivery item included in the order, and/or shipment of the order. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein generating the first correlation comprises:
 determining each of the first tracking document and the second tracking document contains the value or references another tracking document of the first batch of tracking documents that includes the value; and   storing the first correlation between the first tracking document and the second tracking document to enable tracking of the logistics process.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein a subset of the tracking documents forms a hierarchical structure including a plurality of nodes corresponding to the subset of the tracking documents, and wherein the subset of the tracking documents comprises the first tracking document. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the second tracking document is not included in the subset,
 wherein the second tracking document is associated with a shipment of an order and the first tracking document of the subset is associated with the order,   wherein the second tracking document comprises a second reference to the first tracking document of the subset corresponding to at least one node of the plurality of nodes, and   wherein generating the first correlation comprises locating root nodes associated with the at least one node and leaf nodes associated with the at least one node by at least recursively searching the hierarchical structure to determine whether another tracking document is correlated with the first tracking document.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first correlation is assigned a source time indicating when the first tracking document is received, and wherein the method further comprises:
 determining whether the source time matches a creation time indicating when the third tracking document was received;   updating, based on a determination that the source time does not match the creation time, the first correlation to generate the second correlation; and   storing the second correlation.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions, which when executed by at least one data processor, result in operations comprising:
 determining a correlation feature shared among at least a portion of a plurality of tracking documents comprising a first tracking document and a second tracking document;   receiving a first batch of tracking documents associated with a logistics process, wherein the tracking documents comprise the correlation feature and logistics information associated with the logistics process, and wherein the first batch of tracking documents comprises the first tracking document and the second tracking document;   generating, based at least on the correlation feature, a first correlation between the first tracking document and the second tracking document;   receiving, after beginning generation of the first correlation, a second batch of tracking documents associated with the logistics process, wherein the second batch of tracking documents comprises a third tracking document comprising a change in the logistics information indicated by the first tracking document of the first batch;   generating, based at least on the correlation feature and the change, a second correlation between the third tracking document of the second batch and the second tracking document of the first batch; and   sending, based at least on the second correlation, a status of the logistics process, the status indicating at least the change.